How can we go about solving our world’s environmental problems?Which groups of people are the most important to share your research?Should we be spending money from the public purse on environmental science research?

These questions are just a starter for ten, looking at what might be explored here.

Welcome to NERC’s new engagement blog, and what I hope to be the start (and continuation of) many rich conversations about environmental science engagement. Environmental science is one of those subjects that covers a huge expanse of inter-related topics, and as such, research in this area has relevance across disciplines and ‘publics’. I am hoping that writers will explore the broadest reach of ‘engagement’, from members of the public to members of parliament, from businesses to broadsheets, from charities to communities.

Whether we like it or not, environmental science touches all of our lives, and its big questions are much too important and fascinating to be shared within the world of science alone.

If you have an idea for a blog post, please get in touch with socialmedia@nerc.ac.uk. It is important that the blog is a voice for a diversity of writers, so we look forward to hearing from you.

Happy blogging!

Hannah King, NERC Public Engagement

I have been NERC’s Public Engagement Officer since 2015, as part of the Communications and Engagement Team. I plan, commission and evaluate NERC’s public engagement activity, to ensure it is delivered in line with our Royal Charter obligations and our 2016 public engagement strategy. Our current work involves our Engaging Environments projects, to build consortia and capacity for public engagement; Operation Earth, a national show developed with the Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) and our showcase event, UnEarthed, held in Edinburgh. When not thinking about public engagement, I spend my time with cats, watching films, and love to dance.